This report was published in September 2001.
Table of Contents
Forward Executive Summary Section II: Summary of the Artists' Quake Aid (AQUA) Report Section III: Artist and Gallery Case Studies Section IV: General Conclusions Section V: Key Concerns for Artists Section VI: Short Term Set of Recommendations Section VII: Long Term Recommendations/Issues Raised by the Earthquake Section VIII: Artists' Quake Aid Statistics Section X: Studio Preparedness Earthquake Tip Sheet Earthquake Preparedness Resources Please note, up to date resources can be found in Artists' Assets or our Resources searchable database. Below is the information as it was published in September 2001.
Section X. Studio Earthquake Preparedness Tip Sheet
Earthquake preparedness is a matter of common sense and taking a few actions based upon simple physics. The hazards in a studio may involve materials that can be toxic, flammable, or otherwise hazardous in their own right. Such materials may be heavy enough to create a hazard by falling. Valuable artwork and equipment can be damaged or cause destruction that is often very costly to replace and repair. Such damage may represent a loss of a large amount of effort and artistic expression.
BASIC CONSIDERATIONS
1. Address Human Safety
The primary concern should be the protection of life and limb. No matter how valuable objects may be, hazards to human safety must be addressed first.
A. Identify large or heavy objects that could fall on people or could block access to the exit from the building.
B. Look for large objects on upper shelves, stacks of lumber, or sets of shelving that are not secured to walls.
Damage in earthquakes is caused in three basic ways - almost all damage can be attributed to one of these basic causes:
- Objects colliding into other objects or surfaces
- Objects falling off of shelves, tables, pedestals, etc.
2. Don't Procrastinate
Measures taken to reduce risk need not be complex or expensive; small measures can make a huge difference. Securing a set of shelves with a couple of screws fastened to a wall is a great example. This will secure the shelves from tipping and thus make objects less likely to fall off the shelves and cause harm to a person, other objects, or itself.
3. Be Practical
Measures must be easy to use and appropriate to the function of each studio. Any prevention method that is awkward or inconvenient will soon be abandoned, and thus become a waste of energy and money. Will artwork be stored for a long time, or will it be moved periodically? (Short term storage should be limited; securing artwork in the safest manner often requires long-term measures that are not as easy to de-install.)
RISK REDUCTION FOR THE STUDIO Tipping Hazards:
In order to reduce tipping hazards:
Secure unstable items to more stable ones such as walls, pillars, or mounts, thus limiting motion.
Lower the center of gravity:
Place heavier items on lower shelves.
Lay tall things on their sides.
Place weights inside vessels (so they act like a child's punching clown).
Fasten items to a base that has a larger footprint and is thus harder to tip.
Enclose items so they are contained in a box or other structure with a wider footprint and thus a lower center of gravity.
Allow items to slide on the surface where they are sitting as long as they aren't able to slide and fall off.
Anchor small objects such as glass and glazed ceramics with dental wax, "quake" wax or silicone (these items can be purchased at most art supply stores.) This is a very effective technique, especially when coupled with the addition of weight ö this will lower the center of gravity. Use three to four small balls of wax on the bottom of object. Place object on substrate (shelf or pedestal) with a slight twist. Remove in same fashion to shear wax layer. Do not use on low fire ceramics as wax can pull pieces from poorly vitrified ceramics as well as pulling gold leaf decoration from porcelain. Wax can also migrate into unfinished surfaces.
Tripping Hazards:
Basically a complication of tipping, tripping occurs when an object slides across a surface until it encounters a point of resistance and then trips over that obstruction. Tripping can also occur when an object has a high friction bottom that won't slide and a center of gravity high enough to topple it. To avoid tripping of objects, follow the same steps for securing or lowering the center of gravity, as detailed in Tipping Hazards, above.
Collision Hazards:
Collision damage occurs when an object slides and strikes another object or surface without tipping over.
Increase bottom friction and lower center of gravity.
Place padding or separators between objects. On a set of shelving that has been secured against tipping, a grouping of objects such as ceramics or glass are best placed close together with foam, cardboard, or even folded newspaper between them to allow minimum movement.
Falling Hazards:
Objects may be damaged by falling from a shelf, workbench, or display stand.
2D work may be damaged by falling off a wall.
In order to reduce falling hazards:
Limit the availability of edges by applying a lip to a surface or stretching a light rope or bungee across the opening of a set of shelves to limit the ability of objects to fall off the shelves.
With 2D work hung on walls:
Secure the lower edge so that the panel cannot flap and stress the hanging attachments. "Secure-T" security fasteners will retain lower edge best, but rubberized poster adhesive putty will secure bottoms fairly well. (This is not an archival product so keep off actual art surfaces.)
Upper hanging hardware must be well secured.
For Pedestals:
Anchor objects with wax or a mount (see last bullet in 'Tipping Hazards' section.)
OTHER HAZARDS IN THE STUDIO Hazardous Materials:
Flammables: Ideally, all flammables should be in a steel flammables cabinet approved by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) that is secured to a wall. That said, the greatest concern is with breakage and spillage, especially of those materials in use at any given time.
Equip all storage cabinets with doors that latch.
Use boxes or plastic tubs or containers to sequester and contain the spillable contents.
Use a wheeled cart with tray type shelves to help contain any spillage as well as allow limited dislocation.
Buy materials in plastic containers, when possible.
If you've transferred hazardous materials out of their original package, make sure the new package is labeled with its hazardous contents.
Gases: Gas cylinders for welding or other purposes must be secured to a wall to keep from tipping over. Even sets on two wheeled welding carts must be secured. Caution: Gas cylinders are under high pressure ö if damaged they can explode or become a flying projectile. When purchasing a gas cylinder, please consult with sales staff regarding tank safety precautions.
Equipment and Tools:
Large tools:
Secure to walls or pillars.
Lower the center of gravity with weight at the bottom.
Fasten base to larger footprint of plywood.
Fasten base to floor.
Place tool on mobile base to allow limited dislocation.
Small tools:
Store in cabinets with latching doors.
Put neoprene or rubber compounds on underside of toolboxes to increase friction.
Use racking system to organize and secure tools in convenient locations.
Lumber and awkward sized materials:
- Secure items with eyebolts into wall studs at strategic intervals and nylon rope to snug up stacks.
- Build storage racks to enclose and store materials. These racks must be well built and secured to a wall or pillar.
Paintings and Panels:
Use same techniques as above.
Glass, Ceramics and Fragile Items:
Place on foam lined shelves with separators or foam cavities to isolate objects from one another.
"Chock" rounded objects with foam to keep them from rolling.
Store objects in boxes with padding and separators.
